Lipstick or the like container



1968 w. J. LANDEN LIPSTICK OR THE LIKE CONTAINER Filed April 20, 1966 INVENTOR M444, Jamis'uypm fwXwa ATTO RN EYS United States Patent 3,416,868 LIPSTICK OR THE LIKE CONTAINER William James Landen, Cheshire, Conn., assignor to Tile International Silver Company, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 544,010

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention contemplates a particular structural relationship, in an all-plastic construction, between the closure cap and the base of a lipstick or the like container, whereby no mechanical stress characterizes the cooperation of the parts, except for a minor localized transient stressed reaction as the cap snaps into or out of its home or closed position. lrnportantly, no stressing reaction is encountered when the container is closed, and none is encountered for susbtantially the full telescoping length of travel of the cap over the operative parts of the container. This construction makes it possible to utilize relatively thin cap materials, such as pearlescence materials, for maximum appearance effects, and stress-induced cracks are avoided.

My invention relates to lipstick or the like containers of the'propel-repel variety and in particular to a construction involving plastic parts.

While many mechanical features are desired in lipstick containers, the primary consideration must always be appearance. In fact, competition in the sale of the cosmetics sometimes reduces to competition as to the decor and overall configuration and appeal of the container itself. In certain situations, it is desired to produce pearlescent or crystalline effects through use of particular plastic materials, for example in the closure cap, but since the efficient employment of such materials results in thin and brittle walls, particularly when subjected to continued mechanical stress, certain mechanical structure problems are presented in such employments,

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a lipstick container construction which lends itself particularly to the employment of hard brittle plastic in the closure cap.

It is a specific object to meet the foregoing object with a structure which inherently subjects the closure cap to minimum mechanical stress, both during removal and replacement of the cap and while the cap is in applied position, closing the container. It is also a specific object at the same time positively to retain the cap in the closed position, while assuring against inadvertent propulsion of the lipstick carrier.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a partly broken away and longitudinally sectioned view of a lipstick or the like container incorporating features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a closure cap for use with the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top-end view of the cap of FIG. 2; and FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary views in partial section to show cooperation of the parts, in two different relationships encountered in use.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates a particular structural relationship between the closure cap and the base of a lipstick or the like container, whereby no mechanical stress characterizes the cooperation of the "ice parts, except for a minor localized transient stressed reaction as the cap snaps into or out of its home or closed position. Importantly, no stressing reaction is encountered when the container is closed, and none is encountered for substantially the full telescoping length of travel of the cap over the operative parts of the container.

Referring to the drawings, the invention isshown in application to a rotary-propulsion type of lipstick container comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable tubular members 10-11 of molded-plastic construction. These members contain and guide a carrier cup 12 for longitudinal movement. For this purpose, a cam follower 13 on the cup 12 engages propulsion cams on tubular members 1011. One of these cams is a spiral groove 14 formed in the bore of outer tubular member 11; the other cam is a straight slot 15 in the inner tubular member 10. Opposed lateral offsets 16-17 in slot 15 serve to locate the carrier 12 at its upper and lower displacement limits. The sleeve or outer tubular member 11 is axially retained by a top shoulder 18 and by a bottom shoulder 19, forming part of the base operating knob 20 at the permanently closed end of the container. Elongated lightfriction lands 21 are formed at spaced locations in the bore of inner tubular member 10, for light dragging engagement with the carrier cup 12 throughout its range of travel, thus giving a precision feel to the propulsion action and at the same time opposing any tendency to allow carrier propulsion in the presence of mechanical vibration.

The invention features the closure cap 23 and its relation to the described container, and this cap 23 may be of hard relatively brittle construction, in order to permit maximum variety in employment of decorative plastics, as for example general purpose polystyrene or pearlescent types of modified polystyrene. Ordinarily, such materials in thin walls, as at the open or skirt end of cap 23, are sufliciently brittle that they will crack or split if subjected to prolonged stress. But with my improved construction the only time of any mechanical stressing of this end of the cap 23 is at the very brief instant just before snapping the cap 23 to its closed position.

To achieve this result, one or more detent projections 24 are formed at angularly spaced locations near the open end of the bore of cap 23. These projections 24 are preferably arcuate, in the same radial plane, and they are of greater arcuate than axial extent. Their radially inward projection (see FIG. 4) is such as to clear the outer tubular member 11 at all times so as to achieve an unstressed piloting support of cap 23 on tubular member 11; this relationship also assures maximum axial alignment of cap 23 with the rest of the container, as the cap approaches its closed position.

For retaining coaction with detent projections 24, I provide a circumferential groove 25 in shoulder 19, and this groove is preferably as close as feasible to the upper end of shoulder 19. The radial extent of shoulder 19 is such as to have only slight interference with projections 24 so that full closure can be signified by a light snap action, as projections 24 ride over their slight inference with shoulder 19 and into the home or closed position (see FIG. 5). The depth and axial extent of groove 25 are such as to permit clearance relation with projections 24, thus assuring stress-free retention of cap 23, as will be understood.

I find that, in use, the container of my invention is not subject to cracking or splitting of the thin-walled skirt of cap 23, even when employing the most brittle modified polystyrenes, for their optimized pearlescent or crystalline effects. The mechanical stress which occurs just before full closure, is so slight and so transient as not to result in any fractures; also, the fact that this snap-in action occurs just short of full closure is assurance of maximum axial alignment of cap 23 at the instant of detent action. At the same time, the cap is sufiiciently well retained in place, denying actuating access to the propulsion parts and also resisting vibrated displacement of these parts. If desired, the lower part 19 of shoulder 19 may be of slightly greater diameter, to have close-clearing but non-interference relation with the end of cap 23; alternatively, one or more lobes 26 may be provided at angularly spaced locations on the lower part 19 of shoulder 19 for supporting cap 23 against rattling in the closed position, the fit being again one of close clearance, i.e., non-interfering, so as to avoid residual stress.

I claim:

1. An all-plastic lipstick container or the like, comprising a carrier cup with a cam follower, inner and outer relatively rotatable tubular members surrounding said cup and providing guided support for its longitudinal movement, cooperating cam means on said tubular members and engaging said cam follower to propel said cup upon relative rotation of said tubular members, the inner of said tubular members having at one longitudinal end an enlarged base, said base including a cylindrical shoulder adjacent the corresponding end of said outer tubular member, the cylindrical surface of said shoulder being of slightly greater diameter than said outer tubular member and having a cireumferentially continuous radially outwardly facing groove intermediate the axial limits of said shoulder, and a hard plastic uniformly cylindrical closure cap having a continuous cylindrical bore with an open end in close clearance relation with said cylindrical surface, whereby the cylindrical wall thickness of said cap may be relatively thin and continuous to permit utilization of relatively brittle pearlescent or the like decorative materials for maximum decorative appearance, the

open end of said bore including a radially inwardly facing detent projection located axially inwardly of the open end of said bore and in slight clearance relation with said outer tubular member and with said groove, said detent projection also having slight interference engagement with the cylindrical surface of said shoulder, whereby upon axial insertion of said closure cap over said tubular members, the closure cap (a) will be subjected to no stress as said detent rides the length of said outer tubular member, (b) will be subjected to slight transient radial stress as it rides said shoulder to snap-in-position in the groove, and (c) will 'be subjected to no stress when in snapped-in, self-retaining closed position with said detent in the groove.

2. A container according to claim 1, in which the bore of said cap is formed with plural angularly spaced detents in the same radial plane, for simultaneous snapengagement with said groove, whereby said detents provide not only unstressed retention of the cap in closed position but also unstressed piloting guidance of the cap on the outer tubular member as it is telescoped over the same.

3. A container according to claim 1, in which said detent is of greater circumferential extent than its axial dimension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,000 1/1943 Morrison 206-56 2,360,350 10/1944 Kirk-Schneider 20656 2,523,457 9/1950 Thompson et al. 206-56 2,840,231 6/1958 Reichenbach 206-56 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner. 

